Grumpy Cat gets Friskies endorsement deal

If you've been on the Internet in the past year, you've almost certainly come face-to-face with Tardar Sauce, more commonly known as Grumpy Cat.

The one-year-old kitty -- named Meme of the Year at the 2013 Webby Awards -- has such a potent online presence she has now scored a movie deal, a line of merchandise, a best selling book, and now an endorsement deal with Nestlé Purina PetCare to become the "spokescat" for the Friskies brand of cat food.

The St. Louis-based pet food brand has already featured the frowning feline in a pair of web videos in its "Will Kitty Play With It?" series in March.

The new deal, which extends the relationship, will have Tardar Sauce appear in online promotion for the brand. She will also receive the Friskies lifetime achievement award at the Friskies Award Show on October 15, which will be viewable online.

"Signing on Grumpy Cat for a longer-term relationship allows Friskies to work with one of the biggest stars in the space," said Friskies Brand Manager Shawn Brain. "It’s a win-win for everyone -- especially people who love watching cat videos and cat owners who love experiencing a variety of online cat content."

Tabatha Bundesen, Tardar Sauce's person, said she's excited about the deal and, despite her dour expression, so is Tardar Sauce.

We are thrilled to collaborate on future programs with a brand that truly understands the fun of Internet cats, and the humor of Grumpy Cat,” Bundesen said.

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